Welcome to the design table at The Picture Framing Group. When clients bring their cherished artwork into our Chicagoland locations, they frequently look for ways to make their pieces truly stand out on the wall. Sometimes a custom frame design needs a little extra pizzazz without going overboard or detracting from the artwork itself. Under the guidance of owners Cole and Don Glassner, our expert design team absolutely loves working with twenty-two karat gold fillets, hand-wrapped museum fabrics, and ornate traditional profiles. However, you do not always need to utilize those premium materials to make a significant visual statement. Upgrading your matting is a highly effective, accessible way to elevate the entire presentation.
A well-designed mat border serves as a crucial transitional space that guides the viewer right into the heart of the artwork. Furthermore, utilizing high-quality conservation matboards ensures your piece is protected from environmental damage for generations to come. By employing advanced framing techniques at The Frame Shop, we can transform a basic border into a customized architectural element that complements both the art and your interior decor. Whether you are decorating a modern loft downtown or a historic home in the suburbs, these thoughtful details make all the difference. Here are four easy upgrades to take your custom matting from a standard border to a truly standout presentation.
1. The Mat Sandwich (Repeat the Top Color)
A standard double mat is a classic choice in professional picture framing. However, opting for a triple mat configuration allows for a sophisticated twist that our team refers to as the mat sandwich. To achieve this layered look, you simply repeat your top mat color as the bottom layer. This highly intentional technique flanks a contrasting middle accent color with two identical outer and inner shades, creating a balanced and cohesive aesthetic.
- The Look: It creates an incredibly custom feel while actively opening up the visual field of the image. This method gives tightly cropped artwork some much-needed breathing room without overwhelming the eye with an excessive number of distinct colors. Symmetrical color placement keeps the focus exactly where it belongs.
- The Trick: By pushing a bright or dark accent color away from the artwork itself with a neutral bottom layer, you can effectively soften the visual impact of bold colors. For example, using a soft white for the top and bottom layers with a tiny sliver of deep navy in the middle creates an elegant boundary. This prevents the matting from competing directly with the delicate details of your art, allowing vibrant paintings or striking photography to remain the star of the show.
2. Get Linear with Subtle Details
Linear details draw the eye inward and add an undeniable touch of elegance to any framed piece. Thanks to the state-of-the-art Computerized Mat Cutters we utilize at The Picture Framing Group, these intricate design details are executed with absolute precision in mere moments. Adding lines to a mat border introduces a sense of rhythm and geometric structure to the overall custom frame design, offering a refined finish that feels incredibly bespoke.
- V-Grooves: These precisely cut grooves carve directly into the matboard to create a rhythmic shadow line around the perimeter of the art. They look especially sharp on solid-core mats where the interior groove beautifully matches the top face color of the board, offering a subtle yet highly sophisticated architectural channel.
- Debossed Lines: Instead of cutting entirely through the board, these lines are mechanically pressed directly into the surface of the mat. This technique produces a gentle, subtle shadow that looks absolutely magnificent on smaller, more intimate pieces of art. A debossed line is the perfect alternative when a deep v-groove cut might feel visually aggressive or out of scale for the piece.
- Ruled Lines: If you want to mimic the look of classic French matting, ruled ink lines are the perfect solution. We highly recommend this traditional aesthetic approach for antique botanicals, historical Chicago maps, or delicate vintage etchings. The fine lines can be customized to match specific ink colors found within the artwork itself.
3. Shape Up Your Windows
You do not need wild or overly complex corners to make a frame design sing. In fact, sometimes simplifying a complex shape template is the most sophisticated design move you can make. While the standard rectangular opening is always appropriate, altering the shape of the mat window can creatively complement the subject matter. It can also echo the architectural style of the space where the framed piece will eventually hang.
- The Soft Arch: Try reducing the radius of a standard arched mat template to create a gentle, modern curve. This soft approach works wonderfully for portrait photography, wedding invitations, or original paintings with fluid, organic compositions. The subtle curve introduces a graceful element that counterbalances rigid rectangular frames.
- Simple Steps: Take a traditional stepped corner design, but reduce the count to just a single step. This simple reduction creates a remarkably clean, architectural look that feels both historic and distinctly contemporary at the same time. It is an excellent choice for art deco prints, geometric abstracts, and structural photographs.
4. Add Some Air with Spaced Mats
Do you want to introduce instant drama to your custom frame? Create a spaced mat by placing a hidden structural spacer between the different mat layers. This technique physically elevates the top mat above the bottom mat to produce a mesmerizing floating effect. It is a brilliant way to add unexpected character to an otherwise traditional framing package.
- The Vibe: This method adds physical depth, striking dimension, and a cool natural drop shadow that changes dynamically depending on the ambient lighting in your room. It effortlessly transforms a flat presentation into a three-dimensional showcase, giving your walls a true gallery atmosphere.
- The Method: You do not need an entire sheet of material to achieve this stunning look. Our expert framers strategically place pinwheel strips of scrap foam board or matboard securely between the layers to create the desired lift. The result is a gallery-quality presentation that demands attention and creates a beautiful shadowbox effect, which is incredibly popular for showcasing delicate works on paper or pieces with deckled edges.
These subtle yet highly impactful tweaks prove that you do not need to reinvent the wheel to make a frame design feel completely fresh and professionally finished. Whether you are framing a cherished family photograph or a large original watercolor painting, paying attention to the intricate matting details will instantly level up your final product. When you are ready to explore these unique design options, visit our expert design team at The Picture Framing Group. We are deeply proud to serve the Chicagoland area with unparalleled craftsmanship, and we eagerly look forward to helping you elevate your next custom framing project to the highest level of artistic presentation.
